The POA Network is an Ethereum-based platform that offers an open-source framework for smart contracts. The project is an Ethereum sidechain that uses Proof of Autonomy as its consensus mechanism, relying on a set of pre-selected validators to secure the network. The validators' identity will be public.
Its purported benefits are the flexibility to code in Ethereum standards with the benefits of scalability and interoperability in blockchain networks.
The POA Network will allow organizations to build their own networks with their own validators and developers to deploy DApps.